ST. PAUL, Minn. — Due to rain in the forecast, the Concordia-St. Paul softball team's doubleheader against No. 24-ranked Winona State originally scheduled for Friday, April 17 has been moved up a day to Thursday, April 16. Game one of Friday's doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. with first pitch of game two slated for 4 p.m.
On Sunday afternoon, April 19, the Golden Bears head down to Mankato to take on the Minnesota State Mavericks in a doubleheader with start times scheduled for 12 and 2 p.m. at the MSU Softball Complex.
Weather Forecast
For Thursday afternoon doubleheader at Carlander Field the forecast calls for a high of 76 degrees with 8 mph winds out of the south-southeast. With partly sunny skies and just a 4% chance of precipitation, it should be a perfect afternoon for softball at Carlander Field.
Last Time Out
The Golden Bears earned a pair of splits last weekend, going 2-2 across four games against Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. CSP now owns a 22-17 overall record and a 11-5 record in NSIC play; the Golden Bears currently sit in third place in the conference standings.
CSP got the weekend started with its home opener on Friday afternoon against the SMSU Mustangs, taking game one of the doubleheader 9-3 behind a pair of long balls from Danni Sahrum and Katie Klotz.
Gabby Martinez collected the first multi-hit game of her career, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, RBI and a run scored. In addition to her third homer of the season, Sharum went 3-for-4 in game one and Katie Klotz put together a 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI.
In the circle, Emmy Bowne got the start and tossed her 12th complete game of the season, going 7.0 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs with five strikeouts to improve to 8-6 on the year.
SMSU took game two, 7-2 after opening the game with a solo homer off the bat of Aliza Acker. Adding on with another run in the second and a four spot in the third to take a 6-2 lead.
Lily Burke went 3-for-4 at the plate in game two with a double and Gabby Martinex went 1-for-2 with a walk, RBI and run scored.
Saturday's doubleheader shifted to the Husky Dome in St. Cloud due to rain in the forecast. The Golden Bears picked up another split with the Cougars, taking game one of the double dip, 2-1 in eight innings.
Starter Emmy Bowne took the circle and tossed her 13th complete game of the season, going all eight innings, giving up five hits and one earned run, while striking out four Cougar hitters to move to 10-8 on the year.
Alexi Monty drew a leadoff walk, stealing second and coming around to score on a Cougar to take the game's first lead. With the game tied at one in the bottom of the eighth, CSP loaded the bases and Nora Brandt worked an eight pitch walk to plate the winning run to secure the 2-1 victory.
USF took game two 4-0, plating one run in the third, two in the fourth and adding another in the seventh. Alexis Monty came up with CSP's lone extra base hit on the afternoon after lining a triple to the left-center gap.
Golden Bears by the Numbers
Riley Rosenthal leads the Golden Bears with a .346 batting average this season, while posting a .370 on-base percentage and a .429 slugging percentage. Rosenthal has smacked four doubles, two triples and a home run, while driving in 13 runs.
Shortstop Alexis Monty leads the team with a .893 OPS, posting a .316/.423/.470 slash line with seven doubles, one home run and four triples. Monty has 16 RBI this season while tying a career-high with 19 walks this season, the junior also ranks eighth in the NSIC with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
Ava Blake is batting .324 with a team leading eight doubles this season, Blake also has a .398 OBP and a .441 slugging percentage with a .839 OPS. Danni Sahrum leads the Golden Bears in roundrippers this season with three, while posting a .843 OPS and .289/.423/.411 slash line with a team leading 18 RBI.
Katie Klotz is second on the team with two homers this season, while batting .299 with 12 RBI. Lily Burke is fifth in the NSIC with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts this season.
In the circle, Emmy Bowne has a 10-8 record with a 3.19 ERA in 116.1 innings pitched, while tossing 13 complete games, the fifth most in the NSIC this season. Bowne leads the team with 58 strikeouts to 34 walks, good for a 1.7 K/BB ratio.
Tatum Dunlavy is 8-7 with a 3.31 ERA in 91.0 innings pitched, Dunlavy has tossed five complete games this season while striking out 43 batters.
Abi Carter has made 17 relief appearances with a 1.66 ERA in 46.1 innings pitched, good for sixth in the NSIC. Carter's two saves lead the team and ranks fifth in the conference, while posting a team low .242 opponent batting average.
As a team the Golden Bears are 9-5 in one run games this season, with a 18-2 record when leading after four innings. CSP is also batting .273 with runners in scoring positions as a team, Riley Rosenthal is batting .364 with RISP and Alexis Monty is batting .310.
CSP's staff ERA of 3.11 is good for sixth best in the NSIC, the Golden Bear defense has turned 20 double plays this season tied for the most in the NSIC.
#24 Winona State, Thursday, April 16 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Series Record: CSP 14, WSU 42
In 56 prior meetings the Golden Bears are 14-42 against the Winona State Warriors dating back to the 2000 season. CSP is looking to snap a five game losing streak to Winona State, with their last win against the Warriors coming on May 4, 2023, a 9-0 win in Rochester, Minnesota.
This season the Warriors are leading the NSIC with a 37-6 overall record and a 16-2 record in conference play. Winona State was ranked 24th in the latest NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, WSU has been ranked as high as 22 this season and fell one spot in the latest rankings after coming in at 23 last week.
At the plate the Warriors are led by Alyssa Woelfel with a 1.183 OPS good for fourth in the NSIC. Woelfel has a .410/.500/.683 slash line with eight home runs and 31 RBI this season. Bryn Elsenpeter has 1.142 OPS this season, good for sixth in the NSIC while posting a .355/.481/.661 slash line with eight homers and 37 RBI. Lila McNeill has a .959 OPS with a .358/.459/.500 slash line this season.
In the circle the Warriors are led by Jayda Berg with a 16-2 record and a 1.84 ERA, good for eighth in the NSIC. Berg is also ninth in the NSIC with 103 strikeouts, while walking nine batters in 129.0 innings pitched.
Izzy Howe is 12-3 this season with a 2.76 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 104.0 innings pitched. Howe ranks fourth in the conference in punchouts this season.
Greg Jones is the head coach of the Warriors, he is in his 26th season at the helm in Winona. Jones has amassed a 1004-350-4 record in his time at Winona State.
Minnesota State, Sunday, April 19 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Series Record: CSP 21, MSU 43
The Golden Bears and Mavericks have met 64 times on the softball diamond, with the CSP owning a 21-43 record in those matchups dating back to the 2000 season. CSP has won four of the last eight meetings against MSU, with their last win coming on February 8, 2025 in a non-conference matchup with the Mavericks in Mankato.
Minnesota State holds a 25-17 overall record this season with a 12-6 record in conference play; the Mavericks currently sit in fourth place in the NSIC standings.
Hannah Tong leads the Mavericks with a 1.172 OPS this season, good for fifth in the NSIC. Tong has a .411/.462/.710 slash line with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 26 RBI. Gianna Lara has a .998 OPS with a .336/.385/.613 slash line, nine doubles and a team leading eight homers and 32 RBI.
Maddie Oetzmann has a 11-6 record with a 3.46 ERA for the Mavericks in the circle this season, while leading the team with 104 strikeouts in 115.1 innings of work. Jorey Fry has a 11-9 record with a 3.66 ERA this season while owning a 67-80 K/BB ratio.
Kristle Wolcott is the head coach of the Mavericks and is in her first season as head coach. Wolcott previously served as an Associate Head Coach at Minnesota State since 2014.
